Amid demand from his removal by the ruling All India NR Congress government in Puducherry, President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday replaced Lt Governor Virendra Kataria. This is the first removal from Raj Bhavan/ Raj Niwas after the Modi government assumed office.

Nagaland governor Vakkom B
Purushothaman, who was transferred from Mizoram Raj Bhavan amidst protests by him, also resigned on Friday. Puducherry government had alleged that Kataria was interfering in administrative affairs.

“You cannot shift governors like clerks. The transfer was made without consulting me,” said Purushothaman. He was transferred to Nagaland to make way for Kamla Beniwal who was shifted from Gujarat to Mizoram.

Home ministry sources said, they are yet to receive any list of names for gubernatorial assignments.

“The government has to decide on the new names to fill the vacancies. There were meetings between top BJP leaders to clear the new names. But it seems the list is yet to be firmed up,” said an official requesting anonymity.